Received via email:
POPCORN, BLANKETS & CHAIRS...IT’S MOVIES IN THE PARK!
Grab your blankets, chairs and family for a FREE family movie on the BIG screen. Refreshments will be on sale. Alcohol and pets are prohibited. The movie will begin at dusk.
Limited on-site parking will be available. Park and walk from Largo Central Elementary, Largo High School and Largo Middle School. For more information, please call 587-6740 ext 5014.
April 7 -- Chicken Run
April 14 -- Cats and Dogs
April 21 -- Hook
April 28 --Twister
Friday, March 31, 2006
Sarasota Film Festival Starts Today
If I were independently wealthy and had unlimited vacation time at work, I would spend the next ten days in Sarasota. Sigh....
The Sarasota Film Festival has some great films lined up and some amazing guests scheduled. According to the Tampa Tribune, they've got a good reputation also.
This weekend, as I'm either at work or at home in my jammies watching DVDs, I'll just keep telling myself that I'm not missing anything special...I'm not missing anything special...
Still wish I were in Sarasota at the film festival.
The Sarasota Film Festival has some great films lined up and some amazing guests scheduled. According to the Tampa Tribune, they've got a good reputation also.
This weekend, as I'm either at work or at home in my jammies watching DVDs, I'll just keep telling myself that I'm not missing anything special...I'm not missing anything special...
Still wish I were in Sarasota at the film festival.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Ironweed Film Club Tomorrow Night
Received via email:
We are happy to announce our second Ironweed Film Club gathering at the Studio@620 on Thursday, March 30th, at 8 p.m.
Film 1 - Seoul Train - 2005 (55 min)
Seoul Train is an emotionally wrenching look at a heroic Underground Railroad, an international band of activists who risk their own lives to lead North Korean refugees out of China and into countries that will give them asylum.
Film 2 - North Korea - 2004 (48 min)
If the cityscapes and patriotic anthems of this film seem a far cry from the bleak landscape of Seoul Train, that's no accident. Dutch filmmaker Pieter Fleury, with the full permission and cooperation of the North Korean government, created this propaganda film that gives us a glimpse of a day in the life of one of the world's most enigmatic societies.
As usual, our doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and a suggested donation of $3 is appreciated. Beer and wine will be available for purchase and popcorn will be free!
For more information on the Studio@620 Film Club, please visit: http://www.thestudioat620.com/p_ifc.htm#SeoulTrain.
For more information on Ironweed Films, please go to https://www.ironweedfilms.com/.
We are happy to announce our second Ironweed Film Club gathering at the Studio@620 on Thursday, March 30th, at 8 p.m.
Film 1 - Seoul Train - 2005 (55 min)
Seoul Train is an emotionally wrenching look at a heroic Underground Railroad, an international band of activists who risk their own lives to lead North Korean refugees out of China and into countries that will give them asylum.
Film 2 - North Korea - 2004 (48 min)
If the cityscapes and patriotic anthems of this film seem a far cry from the bleak landscape of Seoul Train, that's no accident. Dutch filmmaker Pieter Fleury, with the full permission and cooperation of the North Korean government, created this propaganda film that gives us a glimpse of a day in the life of one of the world's most enigmatic societies.
As usual, our doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and a suggested donation of $3 is appreciated. Beer and wine will be available for purchase and popcorn will be free!
For more information on the Studio@620 Film Club, please visit: http://www.thestudioat620.com/p_ifc.htm#SeoulTrain.
For more information on Ironweed Films, please go to https://www.ironweedfilms.com/.
International Cinema Series at Eckerd College
Eckerd College's International Cinema Series is offering some interesting films over the next couple of months. Their website isn't fully updated yet, but here's the list I received via email:
Games of Love and Chance -- directed by Abdel Kechiche
Set in a bleak suburban housing project, Games of Love and Chance follows a group of teenagers, poor and immigrant for the most part, most of whom are involved (for a variety of reasons, not all having to do with a love of theater) in a class production of Marivaux's 18th-century classic Le jeux de l'amour et du hasard.
March 31, 7:30 p.m., Miller Auditorium
Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg
All films in the series are free and open to the public.
This film is part of a "Special Focus on French Cinema," made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). International Cinema at Eckerd College is sponsored by Eckerd College and by a grant from RBC Dain Rauscher.
COMING SOON:
April 7 -- Soba -- directed by Alan Coton
A story of corruption and sexual violence that is at the same time an unconventional love story, set in Mexico City, and based loosely on the novel Justine by the Marquis de Sade and inspired by Nabokov's Lolita. The filmmaker, Alan Coton, will be present to introduce and discuss the film!
April 21 -- Le Grande Voyage -- directed by Ismael Ferroukhi
Against his wishes, a young French teenager is coerced into accompanying his grim father on a pilgrimage to Mecca. (Part of the "Special Focus on French Cinema" sponsored by the French Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.)
April 28 -- Aries -- directed by Faozan Rizal
Indonesian filmmaker Faozan Rizal has created a stunning meditation on the nature of man and woman, a kind of retelling of the story of the fall from Eden, all wordless choreography, set against a gorgeous landscape.
May 5 -- Lucia -- directed by Humberto Solas
A classic film of Cuba, which is perhaps the best exemplar of the ideal of a "third cinema" proclaimed by filmmaker and theorist Fernando Solanas. Tells the stories of three women who struggle for independence and against oppression, one before the revolution, one during and one after.
May 12 -- Night Watch -- directed by Timur Bekmambetov
This Russian blockbuster film borrows some tricks from American films like The Matrix, but only in order to create a stylistically and thematically unique and distinctively Russian vampire sci-fi saga. The first in a trilogy.
Games of Love and Chance -- directed by Abdel Kechiche
Set in a bleak suburban housing project, Games of Love and Chance follows a group of teenagers, poor and immigrant for the most part, most of whom are involved (for a variety of reasons, not all having to do with a love of theater) in a class production of Marivaux's 18th-century classic Le jeux de l'amour et du hasard.
March 31, 7:30 p.m., Miller Auditorium
Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg
All films in the series are free and open to the public.
This film is part of a "Special Focus on French Cinema," made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). International Cinema at Eckerd College is sponsored by Eckerd College and by a grant from RBC Dain Rauscher.
COMING SOON:
April 7 -- Soba -- directed by Alan Coton
A story of corruption and sexual violence that is at the same time an unconventional love story, set in Mexico City, and based loosely on the novel Justine by the Marquis de Sade and inspired by Nabokov's Lolita. The filmmaker, Alan Coton, will be present to introduce and discuss the film!
April 21 -- Le Grande Voyage -- directed by Ismael Ferroukhi
Against his wishes, a young French teenager is coerced into accompanying his grim father on a pilgrimage to Mecca. (Part of the "Special Focus on French Cinema" sponsored by the French Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.)
April 28 -- Aries -- directed by Faozan Rizal
Indonesian filmmaker Faozan Rizal has created a stunning meditation on the nature of man and woman, a kind of retelling of the story of the fall from Eden, all wordless choreography, set against a gorgeous landscape.
May 5 -- Lucia -- directed by Humberto Solas
A classic film of Cuba, which is perhaps the best exemplar of the ideal of a "third cinema" proclaimed by filmmaker and theorist Fernando Solanas. Tells the stories of three women who struggle for independence and against oppression, one before the revolution, one during and one after.
May 12 -- Night Watch -- directed by Timur Bekmambetov
This Russian blockbuster film borrows some tricks from American films like The Matrix, but only in order to create a stylistically and thematically unique and distinctively Russian vampire sci-fi saga. The first in a trilogy.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Oh Snap!
(Yes, I've recently been watching My Name Is Earl and have adopted "oh snap" as my new phrase with which to annoy The Husband.)
The Husband and I went to the movies last night for the first time in what feels like forever. It was bliss...we had an AMC gift card so we didn't have to pay admission; we had a coupon for free popcorn and drinks so we didn't have to sign over our mortgage to buy something to eat; there were only about five other people in the theater, none of whom answered their cell phone, brought their crying baby or kicked my seat; and I loved the movie (V for Vendetta).
Oh snap!
The Husband and I went to the movies last night for the first time in what feels like forever. It was bliss...we had an AMC gift card so we didn't have to pay admission; we had a coupon for free popcorn and drinks so we didn't have to sign over our mortgage to buy something to eat; there were only about five other people in the theater, none of whom answered their cell phone, brought their crying baby or kicked my seat; and I loved the movie (V for Vendetta).
Oh snap!
Monday, March 27, 2006
Cinema Italiano
Festa Italiana is offering an Italian film festival -- Cinema Italiano -- on April 8th and 9th at the Italian Club. On April 8th they're screening Salvatore Giuliano at 3 p.m. and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. On April 9th they're showing Facing Windows at 1 p.m. All screenings are free and will be followed by a discussion led by a local film expert.
Mamma Mia! What a great film fest!
(ok, so I don't speak any Italian, but The Husband is half-Italian if that counts for anything.)
Mamma Mia! What a great film fest!
(ok, so I don't speak any Italian, but The Husband is half-Italian if that counts for anything.)
Monday, March 20, 2006
Is MovieBeam Worth Beaming About?
Two Wall Street Journal reporters recently wrote a detailed and thorough review of MovieBeam, a new video-on-demand service. MovieBeam, developed by Walt Disney Co., involves three items: the MovieBeam box (about the size of a DVD player), an antenna and a remote. After paying $250 for these items (there is a $50 rebate you can get) and a one-time $30 activation fee, you have 100 movies available to rent -- $1.99 for older titles, $3.99 for newer films.
100 movies are stored in the MovieBeam box; 10 leave and 10 arrive each week. The menu options include a "leaving soon" section so you can find out which 10 movies will be soon be deleted off the system. The main box must be attached to a phone line so that once every two weeks it can automatically call MovieBeam to update its records of movies viewed (charges will be billed to your credit card).
The journalists said they generally liked MovieBeam, but considered the limited selection its major flaw. "Under Hollywood's release policies, MovieBeam can't get most films until 30 or 45 days after they appear on DVD." Sony is the one major studio who hasn't agreed to allow MovieBeam to show its films, so any Sony titles are currently unavailable.
MovieBeam is currently available in 29 U.S. cities, one of which is Tampa. www.moviebeam.com has an FAQ section and the list of movies currently available. I scrolled through the first couple of pages of the list. It looks very similar to what I have available through Bright House.
Most of my Netflix rentals are TV shows, so MovieBeam isn't the solution that will allow me to quit Netflix in a huff (I'm on a crusade against Netflix these days). I do rent a lot of movies, however. Hmmm... The MovieBeam website said that they offer lots of extras (deleted scenes, etc.), but the Wall Street Journal article said that they only offered a few extras for very few films. Deleted scenes, outtakes and other extras are sometimes worth the drive to the videostore.
Has anyone tried MovieBeam? I'd love to know what you think of it.
100 movies are stored in the MovieBeam box; 10 leave and 10 arrive each week. The menu options include a "leaving soon" section so you can find out which 10 movies will be soon be deleted off the system. The main box must be attached to a phone line so that once every two weeks it can automatically call MovieBeam to update its records of movies viewed (charges will be billed to your credit card).
The journalists said they generally liked MovieBeam, but considered the limited selection its major flaw. "Under Hollywood's release policies, MovieBeam can't get most films until 30 or 45 days after they appear on DVD." Sony is the one major studio who hasn't agreed to allow MovieBeam to show its films, so any Sony titles are currently unavailable.
MovieBeam is currently available in 29 U.S. cities, one of which is Tampa. www.moviebeam.com has an FAQ section and the list of movies currently available. I scrolled through the first couple of pages of the list. It looks very similar to what I have available through Bright House.
Most of my Netflix rentals are TV shows, so MovieBeam isn't the solution that will allow me to quit Netflix in a huff (I'm on a crusade against Netflix these days). I do rent a lot of movies, however. Hmmm... The MovieBeam website said that they offer lots of extras (deleted scenes, etc.), but the Wall Street Journal article said that they only offered a few extras for very few films. Deleted scenes, outtakes and other extras are sometimes worth the drive to the videostore.
Has anyone tried MovieBeam? I'd love to know what you think of it.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Silverberg International Film Festival
I just found out about the Silverberg International Film Festival, which runs March 20-25 at the three campuses of St. Petersburg College. According to their website, this festival "highlights cultural and ethnic diversity which is manifested in world cinema." Their guest of honor is producer and director Christopher Sheppard. There is no charge for the festival's screenings. Click here for the schedule.
Found Footage Festival at Tampa Theatre
On April 9, the Found Footage Festival can be found at Tampa Theatre (pun intended, ha ha). This is how their website describes it:
The Found Footage Festival is a live comedy event and screening featuring odd and hilarious clips from videotapes found at thrift stores and garage sales and in warehouses and Dumpsters throughout the country. Curators Geoff Haas, Joe Pickett and/or Nick Prueher host each screening and provide their unique observations and commentary on these found video obscurities. From the curiously-produced industrial training video to the forsaken home movie donated to Goodwill, the Found Footage Festival resurrects these forgotten treasures and serves them up in an entertaining 90-minute celebration of all things found.
Visit the Tampa Theatre's website for more information or for links to the trailer.
The Found Footage Festival is a live comedy event and screening featuring odd and hilarious clips from videotapes found at thrift stores and garage sales and in warehouses and Dumpsters throughout the country. Curators Geoff Haas, Joe Pickett and/or Nick Prueher host each screening and provide their unique observations and commentary on these found video obscurities. From the curiously-produced industrial training video to the forsaken home movie donated to Goodwill, the Found Footage Festival resurrects these forgotten treasures and serves them up in an entertaining 90-minute celebration of all things found.
Visit the Tampa Theatre's website for more information or for links to the trailer.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Quote of the Day
A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it. -- Alfred Hitchcock
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Free Movie Posters
Thanks to the wonderful Jan, I have some small posters of the upcoming film The Notorious Bettie Page to give away. If you would like a poster, please email me your mailing address (tampafilmfan @ aol.com). First come, first served.
Wondering what the movie's about? Read on:
From Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol, American Psycho), The Notorious Bettie Page is a provocative exploration of sexuality, religion and pop culture as she takes us into the 1950s and the fascinating world of famous pin-up girl Bettie Page. In an incandescent performance, Gretchen Mol stars as Bettie Page, who grew up in a conservative religious family in Tennessee and became a photo model sensation in 1950s New York. Bettie's legendary fetish poses made her the target of a Senate investigation into pornography, and transformed her into an erotic icon who continues to enthrall fans to this day.
Visit www.picturehouse.com to learn more about this film.
Have You Been Throttled by Netflix?
I'm officially annoyed at Netflix. For the longest time, I used to joke that I was an unpaid, unofficial spokesperson for Netflix, because any time that name came up in conversation, I would mention how I loved Netflix and recommend it to anyone. Not anymore.
Netflix uses a "fairness algorithm" to give priority to those members who rent fewer DVDs. In other words, if you watch and return movies quickly, you are subject to shipping delays and not given priority on newer and in-demand titles. You're throttled.
I don't rent nearly as many DVDs from Netflix as the guy profiled in the CNN article, but I noticed a big change in delivery time about a year ago. It takes longer for returned DVDs to be acknowledged and for others to be mailed to me. After years of promising unlimited rentals, Netflix recently updated its rental policy to reflect this practice.
One disgruntled customer posted his statistics online. Another site, www.hackingnetflix.com, offers alternatives and posts Netflix-related news.
Like one renter mentioned in the article, I'm not going to cancel my subscription, because it's still a good deal. But it could be better. Shame on you, Netflix.
Netflix uses a "fairness algorithm" to give priority to those members who rent fewer DVDs. In other words, if you watch and return movies quickly, you are subject to shipping delays and not given priority on newer and in-demand titles. You're throttled.
I don't rent nearly as many DVDs from Netflix as the guy profiled in the CNN article, but I noticed a big change in delivery time about a year ago. It takes longer for returned DVDs to be acknowledged and for others to be mailed to me. After years of promising unlimited rentals, Netflix recently updated its rental policy to reflect this practice.
One disgruntled customer posted his statistics online. Another site, www.hackingnetflix.com, offers alternatives and posts Netflix-related news.
Like one renter mentioned in the article, I'm not going to cancel my subscription, because it's still a good deal. But it could be better. Shame on you, Netflix.
Always Use Sunscreen
Well, film festival fans, there's another addition to the spring slate of film fests: the Sunscreen Film Festival will be May 5-7 at Studio @620 in St. Pete. This new festival is sponsored by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Society and exists, according to the website, to "support and develop the growth of independent filmmaking in Florida."
Mark your calendars!
Mark your calendars!
Video Basics Class at the Education Channel -- REVISED DATE
The date for this event has been revised:
From The Education Channel:
Registration Open for Video Basics for Business and Pleasure — March 26
Craig Neuman will teach a Video Basics for Business and Pleasure class at 2 p.m. March 26, at The Education Channel, 703 N Willow Avenue, Tampa. Class size is limited. You must be 16 or over to register. $30 registration fee must be received in advance in order to hold your seat. Call 254-2253 ext. 206 for details.
Learn the 3 P's to making great video:
Pre-Production - Taking the time to pre-plan what you are going to shoot and edit will result in much better shots.
Production - The actual shooting of the video. Learn about lighting, sound, composition and generally how to shoot better video.
Post-Production - This is the editing of the video you have shot and adding effects, sounds, music. This can be the most exciting part of the video process and is usually where big budget productions spend 75% of their money.
Craig Neuman has over 15 years experience in audio/video/film production. An award-winning producer, he has produced music videos, TV and radio commercials, infomercials and over 1,000 TV shows for Community Information Television and Talk TV of Tampa, including Hooked on Fishing, Tampa Bay Law, Ask A Lawyer, Let’s Talk Golf, Crimestopper’s Tampa Bay’s Most Wanted, Fighting Financial Fraud in Florida and many more. Born and raised in Tampa, Craig received his film/video degree, along with the Salutatorian Award, from Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts in Orlando.
For additional information about educational programs at The Education Channel call 254-2253 ext. 206 or visit www.educationchannel.org.
From The Education Channel:
Registration Open for Video Basics for Business and Pleasure — March 26
Craig Neuman will teach a Video Basics for Business and Pleasure class at 2 p.m. March 26, at The Education Channel, 703 N Willow Avenue, Tampa. Class size is limited. You must be 16 or over to register. $30 registration fee must be received in advance in order to hold your seat. Call 254-2253 ext. 206 for details.
Learn the 3 P's to making great video:
Pre-Production - Taking the time to pre-plan what you are going to shoot and edit will result in much better shots.
Production - The actual shooting of the video. Learn about lighting, sound, composition and generally how to shoot better video.
Post-Production - This is the editing of the video you have shot and adding effects, sounds, music. This can be the most exciting part of the video process and is usually where big budget productions spend 75% of their money.
Craig Neuman has over 15 years experience in audio/video/film production. An award-winning producer, he has produced music videos, TV and radio commercials, infomercials and over 1,000 TV shows for Community Information Television and Talk TV of Tampa, including Hooked on Fishing, Tampa Bay Law, Ask A Lawyer, Let’s Talk Golf, Crimestopper’s Tampa Bay’s Most Wanted, Fighting Financial Fraud in Florida and many more. Born and raised in Tampa, Craig received his film/video degree, along with the Salutatorian Award, from Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts in Orlando.
For additional information about educational programs at The Education Channel call 254-2253 ext. 206 or visit www.educationchannel.org.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
The Ultimate Movie Lover's Sweepstakes
Turner Classic Movies is celebrating their new TCM Movie Database by giving away some movies this month. Click here to enter their Ultimate Movie Lover's Sweepstakes.
Monday, March 6, 2006
The Independents' Film Festival Is Accepting Submissions
The Education Channel's Independents' Film Festival (coming up in September, exact dates TBD) is accepting submissions:
We have opened our call for entries for this year and have already received a few. Our submission process has been updated to include the "Without a Box" entry procedure, in addition to the old fashioned, print out the form and send in the stuff (analog) type system that we've always had. So, if you've completed a film recently, we are very interested in seeing it.
Go to www.independentsfilmfest.com, download the form or fill in the blanks at "Without a Box" and send us the stuff so we can take a gander! As usual, Laura and Lucy are standing by to answer your questions and let you know if you've made it in or not. Unfortunately, we have not received a grant for this year's festival so we are charging a slight fee for services. It is modest and will cover the cost of our mailing, etc. So, hope to see you at the movies! Contact Laura Tierney at (813) 254-2253 ext. 206 for more information.
We have opened our call for entries for this year and have already received a few. Our submission process has been updated to include the "Without a Box" entry procedure, in addition to the old fashioned, print out the form and send in the stuff (analog) type system that we've always had. So, if you've completed a film recently, we are very interested in seeing it.
Go to www.independentsfilmfest.com, download the form or fill in the blanks at "Without a Box" and send us the stuff so we can take a gander! As usual, Laura and Lucy are standing by to answer your questions and let you know if you've made it in or not. Unfortunately, we have not received a grant for this year's festival so we are charging a slight fee for services. It is modest and will cover the cost of our mailing, etc. So, hope to see you at the movies! Contact Laura Tierney at (813) 254-2253 ext. 206 for more information.
Film News
*Florida Finding Nemo fans will want to check out this newly available license plate.
*A new Duke University study looks at what the film critics don't say. Sometimes their silence means a film is good, and sometimes they're just following their mother's edict "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
*The Tampa Film Review (this coming Friday, folks!) has posted the schedule of films on their website.
*The Tampa Film Network now has a webpage at www.myspace.com/tampafilmnetwork. Their next meeting is March 14th.
*Last month's inaugural screening by the Ironweed Film Club was a success. I'm told that there were about 40 people there. Lots of people have signed up for the email list. Seoul Train and North Korea:A Day in the Life will be screened on March 30th. Click here for more info.
*A new Duke University study looks at what the film critics don't say. Sometimes their silence means a film is good, and sometimes they're just following their mother's edict "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
*The Tampa Film Review (this coming Friday, folks!) has posted the schedule of films on their website.
*The Tampa Film Network now has a webpage at www.myspace.com/tampafilmnetwork. Their next meeting is March 14th.
*Last month's inaugural screening by the Ironweed Film Club was a success. I'm told that there were about 40 people there. Lots of people have signed up for the email list. Seoul Train and North Korea:A Day in the Life will be screened on March 30th. Click here for more info.
Fighting For "Why We Fight"
The very busy and talented writer/blogger Catherine Durkin Robinson (Out in Left Field) is going to the Tampa Theatre on March 11th to watch the new documentary Why We Fight and wants you to go too.
Last one in the door has to buy popcorn for everyone.
Last one in the door has to buy popcorn for everyone.
Friday, March 3, 2006
Quote of the Day
Every time an Oscar is given out, an agent gets his wings. -- Kathy Bates (at the 2003 Oscars)
